Recents cases of vandalism on public and private properties irks residents

IN RECENT weeks, a red mysterious sign was sprayed on public and private properties in Serdang, Kajang, Puchong and Petaling Jaya, baffling residents.Kok Fook Thai, a dish washer at a hawker stall in Kampung Baru Balakong, said she was surprised to see the images sprayed on their stalls about a month ago."We were puzzled to see the symbols and angry about the act of vandalism. The perpetrator also sprayed the sign on a lorry," she said.Mysterious signs: The Dorje Shugden symbol in Taman Sungai Chua, Kajang.The story was recently highlighted by the Chinese press and some of the village heads who were interviewed on the story received a package containing books in English and Mandarin detailing the story of Dorje Shugden, a deity said to be related to Tibetan Buddhism a week after. The package also contained amulets and cards with images of the said deity.One of them was Seri Kembangan Federal Village Security and Development Committee chairman Tang Kim Loy."In the package was a letter supposedly written by worshippers of the deity who sent the books so that we would know more about the deity."They thanked us for promoting the religion, saying that it is a religious sect in Singapore."If I had not received the package, I would not know that it was a religious symbol," he said.According to Tang, the senders, however, did not claim responsibility for the acts of vandalism.The symbol can be seen around the Seri Kembangan New Village."We respect religious figures but this is not the way to promote it. It is an eyesore."It is also inappropriate to spray it on the Jade Emperor altar placed outside someone's house," he said.In an official statement in response to the recent reports in the Chinese press on the act of vandalism, the Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia executive committee stressed that none their member organisations practises the worship of the said spirit."We, Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM), and all our member organisations, wish to state that the said acts reported in the press, is an act of vandalism, and it cannot be construed as a religious act in any circumstances."We urge the authorities to investigate the matter and to take action against the offenders. The said spirit is not part of any mainstream Tibetan/Vajrayana Buddhist practice."